Living in Barbados
Decided to pack up your things and make the big move to the sunny island of Barbados? You can find everything you need to know about Living in Barbados.
Barbados is an island paradise. Relocating here (or anywhere for that matter) can seem quite overwhelming, but put your nerves at ease – “Totally Barbados” has you covered with everything you need to know about Living in Barbados.
This “Totally Barbados” guide should act as your closest travel companion and your ‘how-to‘ manual for residing in Barbados. This page and related articles provide helpful and practical information about everything you need to know before you embark on your journey and handy hints while settling into your new island life.
Preparation Is The Key
Research suggests that after death and divorce, moving ranks third on the list of most stressful activities for people. No matter how often you’ve done it before, moving to a new home, new country, and new culture is not without its unique challenges.
Whether it’s your first move or your last, being a newcomer in a foreign country is both exciting and daunting at the same time. However, being prepared can help alleviate stress and ease your new surroundings.
You will need to address what may seem like many details before you embark on your journey, but the more you know and prepare before you leave, the less stressful your move to Barbados will be, and the easier it will be for you to adjust to island life.
For all you need to know about getting yourself together and in order before making your move, refer to our Final preparations page.
But, Where Do I Start?
“Totally Barbados” outlines it all for you. As you read through our Living in Barbados guide, you will find practical insider tips on immigration, customs, shipping, and taxation, to mention a few.
You can also learn about the dynamics of living on a small island, the weather, the people, and its culture – how to live like a local, how to overcome ‘culture shock,’ hot tips on shopping spots and bargains, and of course, the nightlife in Barbados. You will also find helpful information about housing, schooling, banking, religion, etc. We’ve even included a checklist of things you should do before you set off on your trip and items we think are essential.
Check out our Settling in at Home and Settling in Outside of Home pages for more information to help you acclimate to the Barbadian way of life.
Attitude Makes A Difference
Your attitude towards your move will always have an impact on your experience. We hope that memories of our culture and enjoyment of your time in Barbados, however short or long it might be. It’s sure to be a journey you will never forget!
No amount of research or information you find can replace your own experiences and impressions. You will naturally form opinions about the island based on your personal experiences. If you approach it all with a positive attitude, even when things don’t go according to plan, you’re more likely to take these challenges of moving to Barbados in your stride and grow from the experience.
We suggest you do as much reading as possible and keep our Living in Barbados guide close to hand before and after your arrival in Barbados.
We hope you find this helpful guide, as there is a lot of information to get through. Take your time and go through it all at your own pace. There are so many aspects to consider when moving to a new culture, but keep your positivity levels high and congratulate yourself on your decision to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world!
NOTE: While we aim to keep Living in Barbados as accurate and up to date as possible, we welcome your impressions, information, and experiences in the spirit of the continuous improvement of our site.
